Battery-holder.



c. T. MASON. BATTERY HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED DEG. 19,1908.

912,705. Patented Feb. 16, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

werzzbn C. T. MASON. BATTERY HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED DFLC. 19. 1008.

Patented Feb. 16,

2 SHEEN-SHEET 2 BATTEfLYJiOLL SSB.

rim-912,705.

Application filed December 19, FOB.

To all whom it may wocern:

Be it known that LKJHARLES T MASON, a citizen of the United Status, rosiiling all Sumter, county of Sooner, and Show of South Carolina, have invonlml certain new and useful lmprovemouis in But-lay-Holliers; and I do hereby (lorlmo tho fOllOWlllgf who a, full, clear, and exact, description oi the inv'ent-ion suoh as will enable others skilled in the art to which it avpgi oiiis n; make and use rho some.

. The invontion rel- 1 l for electric cells and provide .21 Simple, choir and ellioionr form oflapparatus by means oi which a soi ios of dry cells-0r similar electric QQIKHRIOYS only be Properly conneobecl together ond hold in SD01 connect-ed relation WitliOUL tho nooessity of electrically oo i img, tho coils mm with another by me: 1S 0?; ii-lie usual ountlucting Wires; a oositivo mnii "Hui-ant (lQP- tribal connection ooingi :rhl the sovoi'ol ill-y cells 1)" the simpler art of assombling the cells in like i'l'olrloi'.

To this end the inwnlion comprises a, frame or support overlying the series of dry cells having attached. to its undersurfaco a. series of cell connectors, cor-h of said connectors including an annular camcluoting late having multiple spring fingers projecting therefromto engage the metallic Outercasing ofslie dry cell, and a resilient liongue sic-tendingfrom said coiniliiotor pinto to limiloi'y holders and having its outer end extending in to and lying Withintho opon center of the next successive conductor plate, so ihmb, when. the dry cells are insortd in the spring cli go of the conductor plates, the oulrsr metallic shell 01' easing of enoh coll lorzns a good eleotrioal COIllLiLCl} with the spring lingers of its engiiging clip and the upper and of the carbon element of rho cell brought into electrical Contact with the end i: iho tongue of the next-preceding conductor pinto.

For the purpose of COllVGlilm holding and locking the. cells in position; there is preferably provided ii lower frame or suppoi-t Which is ailjns l ably connoohod with the ippr frame or support by means of tie rods or equivalent (lo-vices connecting the respective supports}; and in order to provide terminal connections, the tongue member 0f the final soncluctor plate is provided with j a. binding oslio rereivo a connecting Wire or lead an series -13 associated. with a separate Mingus for its ohjocl lo between the final ciinlrllmtor plate of tho Spcificution of Letters Patent.

l 'h'bentmi Ikal. Li li, 3995?,

Svrial No. 188,825.

nwmher which is przgn'ifl'zrl with :1. liindir"; post. to rooeive 5L conducting lcmi or xvii-2%, will. the SPVCILEl 101 film: coxniiazol-vr aliilrs mo so consul i1 ihov' bond norngzilly Lo on ugo lfilllflli plate in Ho so or: to lhzn. ilil'it .ri cont-not ilioi'owibh when. l l is zinpiiod lo the latter clip, Lhzii l voiiivinuiliv through line series of non? L05 (ii. clips is nihinlninrd irreopor om.- ol cells; inllho holder.

.ir tho niccoinpiinying Cir-Ar o n 'iongiturliiml s ioiiol filo the improved .hol lor showing coils .lu tan of {:0 the clips and with no coll in one of the i moilinto clips. Fig .2 is a plan snow or tin under side of the ripper framo or snpo'ort,

.i-lolii-rriog to the drawings; 1 iiuiioatos a pit-any 7.5

. i-lly,

proviriccl with in ol' oiroilim' r? 2 sullwlxuil to recoiw dry ififllb =1 of ":0 usual oil '4;

Assorizilz'zd will; boi-tom upper from, or s )rla l the supports 12 and I) .iro lb i'UflS 4-, provid with washers on their upwo o'nilo mid Wing; nuts 6 on their io woz' owls, so that when 2i series of dry coils m'o PillUi-K'l heiwson the:

upper and lower frames, 13i'16 Kiri-ear oro drawn lzogoijl'iel' by moons oi rho/l lo rods 1! to clamp the cells in position On the finder face of tho upper frame 2- scorn-ml :L sorirs of mo lo rimii oliors in: moans of which tho so l lls 'rre oloii trio-(lily wmnootod. .llllhi ol mill oon ooofniw comprises an annular omnlmciing pinto l0 proviglod about its peripheral. nigo with :r

soriosol downwardly i; ojieolio" spring i'llk grins 9 which are curved inwzifllly and {hen outwardly non? lvheiriov oi moo lo firmly ongwe tho outer si rl'ima of ill? mothllic $1 of the dry cell om'l ilishfr good alert connection with Quill ohalli lholowor n loo I ("D L3 ably ourvoa .oberalir than that or time edges 9 w i out tions of the swim ho s-'2? the metal, i 1'. imfzn a olo m5 bright l o( ifi'iilsii" I which is so: ll every time rim shell shifted or :ll'ljo; Each of said conductor platol proi'sum with o radially extending Lo ll whirl" given on upwo d hand intormofimie its'lsih mill is g 'virlotl on its olrtor will with ii (iii like contact which 18 mug JHGCl on its loivor surface, as by means of a series of points or nodules stamped in the surface of the metal. The tongue 11 when made of brass or other metal capable of being tempered sulliciently to render the same resilient, is given a normal set which tends to force the tongue downward into contact with the upper surface of the next succeeding conduct-r plate in the series and this downward s ot or the spring tongue is accentuated by (the upward bend therein, to accommodate which the upper frame 3 is notched out at appro iriate points, as indicated in Fig. 1. In order to render the iilownward set of the spring tongue 11 positive, and to insure a lzirm contact between said tongue and the next succeeding plate, or'between the end of the tongue and the carbon of the cell located in the next succeeding plate, a helicalspring 14.- is provided for each tongue; said spring being located in a recess 15 in the under face of the upper frame 3 and engaging the upper face of the" end of tongue 11. The final conductor plate or clip has its tongue member perforated to receive a binding aost 2-1 to which one of the circuitwires may econnected. The tongue on the final plate, indicated in the drawings, is shown as somewhat smaller than the tongues on the other plates, but it will be obvious, of course, that this tongue may be of the same size and shape as the corresponding ton ues on the other plates or clips. In order to ail'ord an eiiicient connection for-the under side of frame leading-incircuit wire, there is secured to the 3, adjacent the initial clip, a separate tongue piece the inner end of which lies centrally. within the annular opening in the conductor plate 10, and is pro- ."ided with a roughened under surface similar to that on the tongues 15 and is likewise provided rviih the same type-of helical spring 14 to force the tongue into engagement with. the conductor plate '10, or with the upper end of the carbon element of the first cell, in the alternative; The outer end oi said tongue 22 is provided 'with a binding post or other equivalent connector 24, by means of which the leading wire of the circuit is connected with the device.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that when a dry cell inserted in each oi the conductor clips and the upper Frame .3 is forced downward toward the cells, the several spring tongues 11 will engage the carbon element of the cells with a lirm elei'itrical contact, the roughened or pointed surface ol the tongue face biting into the upper end of each of the carbon elements of the cells, as indicated in Fig. 1. Similarl the spring lingers 9 of the conductor clips ill forcibly engage and embrace the outer surface oi the Il'lQlZitlllC shell of the dry cell, thereby cstablishing electrical contact with the other member. of the electrical couple of said cell, and. the

several cells will be connected in series and I l the current l'rom the several cells may be utilized for any desired purpose by connecting the external circuit leads to binding posts 21 and i-l. W hen it is desired to renew any or all oi the cells, it is necessary only to loosen sulliciently to free the cells in the holder and then replace any or all of the cells with lush cells, subsequent to which the upper l'rame is set down on the cells and the tie rods 5 tightened up by means oi the thumb nuts (3. l which has the el'l'ect oi forcing each of the cells 90 into the corrcspoiuling spring clips i) until the carbon element of the cell engages and lifts the tongue ll of the next preceding clip or connector member against tension of spring 14, sulliciently to break the contact. between said tongue and the conductor date which is engaged by the cell and establish the circuit through the cell. It will be apparent that, if one or more ol the cells be omitted, the circuit through the remaining cells will still be maintained, inasmuch as the spring tongue oi the clip or connector next preceding the connector in which there no cell, will establish electrical contact with the latter CUIiHQUtOZ as indicated in Fig. l.

The invention is particularly well adapted for all purposes requiring series of dry cells and is especially well titted l'or use in connection with explosive engines, such as are used on. automobiles, motor boats and for general power purposes. it will also be noted that an important Feature of the invention is the arrangement of the upper and lower l'rame arliustably coi'inectedby means of the tierods or similar means,whereby the cell connectors, carried by the upper fran'ie are firmly engaged with the elements of the cells and the electrical connections thereby established are elliciently andreliably maintained irrespective of the shocks and jars to which the battery holder may be subjected, incident to use in automobile works or the like. thern'iore, although the description has been particularly directed to the use of dry cells of the ordinary type it will be understood that the invention is not limited in any sense to dry cells but is adapted for use with other forms of cellular genius-tors or batteries, especially accumulators or secondary batteries with sealed tops and semi dry batteries, which are Well known.

What I claim is 1. An electrical comiector forelectric cells comprising a circular spring clip adapted to engage the casing of the cell, and a resilient l conductor tongue integral with and extcnrh ing from said clip.

2. An electrical connector for electric cells comprising a metal plate having a series of spring lingers substantially normal thereto to clamp the upper portion ol a dry cell, and a conducting tongue integral with and extending from said plate.

the thumb nuts (3 and lift the upper frame- Fur- 3. An electrical connector for electric cells comprisin a circular base having spring cell engaging g ers projecting therefrom, and a resilient conducting tongue formed on and extending from said plate, the outer end of said ton ue being depressed below the plane of Sci base,

I 4. 'A battery holder for electric cells, comprising a frame or su port, and a series of cell connectors carrier thereby, each of said \connectors including an annular conductor late having e eries of cell engaging spring ingers rejecting therefrom, and a. resilient int any formed tonguethe outer end of Whic extends into and ies within the open center of the next successive comluctol plate.

5. A battery holder for "lH'l m a com prising a frame or so port, and :2 eries of cell connectors carried t iereby, mu. if said runnectors including an annular (-ondiu'l r plute having a series of cell engaging spring lingers projecting therefrom, a resilient tongue the outer end of which extends into. and lies with in the open center of the next successive conductor plate, and sprin s interposed between the tongue ends an the frame normally tending to force said tongues into engagement with .the subja-cent conductor lates.

1 0 6; A battery-holder for electric cells, comprising a lower frame and an upper frame,

means for adjustably connecting said frames,

- and a series of cell connectors carried by the upper frame, each of said-connectors including an annular conductor plate having a se- 1 ries of cell engaging spring fingers projecting therefrom, and a conducting tongue the outer end of which extends into and lies within the open center the next successive conductor piste, end springs curried by suld upper frame and engaging the tongues uforcsuid to force the some downward.

7. A battery holder for electric cells, coinprisiug a lower frame and an upper frame,

menus for ndjustuhly connecting said frames, and uscrics of cell connectors carried by the uhhcr frmuc, each of said !1nocto1s including-an unnulurconductor plate having :1 scries of cell cnguging spring lingers projecting therefrom, mud a conducting tongue the outer end of which extends into and lies within the open center of the next successive conductor plutc, springs curried by said. upper frnmc and engaging the tongues aforesaid to I force the some downward, and wire attaching tongues for the end coll connectors.

S. A battery holder for electric cells, coinprisiug at lower frame, on upper frame, a series of cell connectors carried by the upper frame, and means udjustubly connecting said f mines whereby thelattcr maybe caused to clamp the cells between them and hold said cells in contact with the connectors.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES 'r. MASON. Witnesses:

A. L. SHAW, E. M. HALL. 

